Building Godly Character: Kindness

Are you a kind person? Examine your heart right now. Be honest. Are you kind. In the the last week what acts of kindness have you done to those less fortunate than you. Who have you tried to help? How have you tried to help along the way? There are so many people in this world who desperately need our help, how are you showing the kindness of God? I really want to challenge you on this issue. How are you kind?

Over the years I have been blown away by people’s kindness for others. You want to know who I admire their kindness. Young people. Those who go out of their way to be kind to those less fortunate that face this world with the power to crush their adversary but instead extend a hand of kindness. Are you kind?

If you are like me, you say yes I am kind. On my good days and I have moments where I am cold and colloused. Thinking of myself above others. I want to be kind I want to work on it. I want to work on things a lot. I haven’t achieved. There is only one person I know and a couple of people who think they have achieved perfection. We are working on it.

Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone.

Titus 3:5–6 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

I know what does this verse have to do with kindness. Well before we begin, I needed to set a theological precident. Salvation is by faith alone, not by works the Bible is so clear on that. But the measuring stick by which you can judge your worthiness is kindness. I believe that God is in the business of conforming you to the image of His Son. That includes making you kind. You want to know where the kindest people are going to be? Heaven. We haven’t arrived yet, still a work in progress. But I also believe that the people sitting in the pew should be the kindest people. So why aren’t you kind? Turn to Matthew 25 I want to inspect this chapter.

Kindness is an eternity issue.

Matthew 25:31–34 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”

When I read the Bible, I try to get a visual image of what is happening. I believe the Bible every word every letter every line. In Matthew 25 Jesus tells two parables in those two parables Jesus is clear the kingdom is like 10 virgins 5 wise and 5 foolish at midnight the groom came. He also tells the parable of the talents and the servants are given talents to multiply and two hear well done though good and faithful servant and Jesus gives so many warnings in Matthew. Sometimes I want to preach without warning but then I remember the book of Matthew. I count 22 times Jesus gave some serious warnings in the book of Matthew that I wrote in big bold letters WARNING! So I try to mix in warnings but Focus on the power of the GRACE OF JESUS. In the parable of the talents a terrible warning depart from me for I never knew you. Obviously Jesus cared about people’s eternity and wanted them to be WARNED of not finding grace. Then Jesus started talking about the sheep and the goats being separated on the last day. He doesn’t say anything about the kingdom of heaven is like. SO I picture Matthew 25 absolutely being a reality on when Jesus returns. Jesus seperates people into two groups righteous (clothed in His righteousness, not by their own righteousness) and the lost.

The Blessed sheep are kind.

Matthew 25:35–36 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.

That is the defining character trait of those who enter eternity. They are kind. I have to tell you as I was thinking about this, I pictured our missionary Mike Peck. He was kind! Always kind. I just want to be kind. I want to work on kindness. We all should work on kindness.

When you are kind to the less fortunate, you are kind to Jesus.

Matthew 25:37–40 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.

Sometimes it is hard to be kind. People are mean they take advantage of you. They bully you they take but never give. They don’t help themselves. You know the bible never says God helps those who help themselves. That is a terrible motto to have in this life. God wants you to just be kind to the least of mankind. He saved us when we couldn’t save ourselves. Be kind and when you are being kind sometimes you need to close your nose and say I’m being kind for Jesus.

WARNING: Don’t be unkind!

Matthew 25:41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

I wanted to say Don’t be mean but that isn’t what the Bible says. It says don’t be unkind. Don’t be mean can be passive. Being Kind is active!

If you are unkind, remember, that is how you treat Jesus.

Matthew 25:42–43 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.

Let me tell you when I was writing this, someone was unkind to me. You want to know what my flesh wants to do. Point at that person and say. He needs to hear this message. He is so mean. I don’t think that this is what I or you should do. We need to take a look at ourselves and think about our kindness. How did you treat your wife. Kind? Your children, your neighbor, your enemy, the homeless? It seems like we will have lots if people here if we have a dinner. But anytime it is time to serve. Well?

Excuses mean nothing when you see Jesus.

Matthew 25:44–46 Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

People use excuses a lot. But excuses mean little when you stand before the kind of kings and the lord of lords. He is all that you need to worry about.

Kindness is an eternity issue.

Luke 10:25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Love God, Love others.

Luke 10:26–27 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ 

Remember the heavenly motto I keep bringing up in church it’s not about you. It’s about Him. Jesus and others and you! I believe that is what makes people stay in the pew. When people try church and find it lacking, it’s all about them. When Christianity and the road to heaven is about Him it’s not about you. We find meaning joy in our faith when we live, Jesus than others than you.

Loving Kindness leads to life.

Luke 10:28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.

Who should we be kind to?

Luke 10:29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?

Be kind to the helpless.

Luke 10:30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

People will hurt you, people will be taken advantage of. You have to be kind to the least of them. The person who is at the bottom. I know it’s not easy. I’ve thought to myself Oh boy here comes another one. Why today? Well let me tell you people will never schedule when they are in crisis. It is important that we help even when it’s someone annoying and it is inconvenient.

The church will fail in kindness.

Luke 10:31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Don’t leave it to me to be kind. You be kind. I want to be kind. I will fail. I hope that I am more like Christ and I am kind for Christ. But this verse is sobering for the pastor. You notice Jesus doesn’t give motive for why the Priest passed by. That doesn’t matter. He doesn’t say that this was a bad priest or that he was too busy. The priest doesn’t matter the personal responsibility of your kindness is what matters.

Christians will fail in kindness.

Luke 10:32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

Don’t leave it to deacons and other Christians to be kind. They will fail. I am not saying that they are bad people or that they aren’t trying to be kind. It’s just that people will fail you.

Be kind to those not like you.

Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

This verse means you are kind to everyone. You are kind to people who aren’t like you. I look at this verse and say you should be kind to people you don’t like that are out of your circle. For instance I will tell you that we are world divided into people that make you cringe. We have people who we label as Woke, Conservative, Left, right. All kinds of people. I have heard a lot of people talking about illegal aliens coming across our southern border. Can I tell you my opinion and I may be wrong and you may not like what I have to say but I am being honest. I am very much in support of shuring up our southern but bortder but There is one word that I focus on, Illegal! I think that some of those people have legitamate reasons for wanting the blessings of being in this country. I would love it if our governement could look at those illegals as people and think of a way to make a legal path for legitamate people being here weeding out those with nefarious purposes. I know that is tall order too ask. But lets say that you don’t like illegals. Would you be willing to treat them like the good Samaritan. Or would you turn your nose up. After all we are all created in God’s image.

Compassion takes care of immediate needs.

Luke 10:34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

If someone has a need do you jump to take care of it. Do you just rubber neck or wonder who else LORD. Don’t say who else. You know who God wants to help. He wants you to help.

Kindness may cost you.

Luke 10:35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.

Kindness isn’t comfortable or convient. It is being more like Christ. Do you think He wanted to leave heaven to come here and serve stinky men. Absolutely not. He left his home to serve. So do you.

Kindness is an eternity issue.

Jesus is THE example of kindness.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We are saved because Jesus demonstrated the ultimate kindness. I am going to heaven because Jesus is kind.

Kindness is fruit that authenticates your relationship with Christ.

Matthew 7:16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

Are you a grape or a thorn?

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

If you are kind you are a grape, if you are unkind you are a thorn and I have to tell you what thorns are good for fire wood. Those are Jesus words not mine.

Go, be kind!

Luke 10:36–37 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.